Prepare your pets before bringing a baby home

Having a baby turns a home upside-down, and that's also true for Fluffy or Fido. Veterinarians who are also moms share advice for how to make the transition easier.

Todd Smith

When Kristine Myers found out she was pregnant, she shared the news with her husband, her friends and relatives and with her two dogs — Ella, a German shepherd, and Bailey, a German shepherd mix.

An associate veterinarian at Capitol Illini Veterinary Services, Myers included her pets in preparations for the arrival of her first son, Joey Stuenkel, who is now 3.

“As I put the nursery together, I allowed the dogs to come in and sniff around at the different baby toys to get used to the new environment,” she said.

She even provided sounds of a baby for her dogs.

“I found on the Internet baby sounds, crying and laughing, that I left running on the computer in the room,” Myers said. This allowed the dogs to get to know what a baby sounds like.

Veterinarians say parents who bring home a new baby should help their pets get familiar with the changes a baby will bring.

This is important because almost 800,000 dog bites — one out of every six — are serious enough to require medical attention each year. Children are more likely than adults to receive medical attention for dog bites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

After Brianne McLaughlin, associate veterinarian at White Oaks West Animal Hospital, found out she was pregnant, she decided to have their two youngest dogs, Bailey and Bogie, both golden retrievers, go through obedience training again.

“This would improve their responsiveness to commands,” she said. McLaughlin had her first son, Wyatt, in January.

Before Myers came home from the hospital after having Joey, she prepared her dogs for the introduction of the newest member of the family.

“I had my husband (Steve Stuenkel) bring home some clothing from the baby so the dogs were familiarized with the baby’s smell,” Myers said.

Curious cats

Cats should also be made aware of the changes that a new baby will bring.

When Joan Saner Reeder, associate veterinarian at Coble Animal Hospital, was pregnant with her daughter, Gracie Reeder, who is now 4, she worried about one of her cats, Lucky, jumping into the crib.

“Over the crib we put a material, like a mesh tent, so the cat could not get into the crib,” she said.

Pregnant women who are around cats also should be aware of toxoplasmosis, which is caused by a parasite that can be found in cat feces. The parasite can be dangerous to the fetus, Sander Reeder said.

The majority of infected infants will show no symptoms of toxoplasmosis at birth, but many are likely to develop signs of infection later in life — such as loss of vision, mental retardation and loss of hearing in congenitally infected children, according to Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Severe cases can cause death

“I had my husband change out the cat litter while I was pregnant,” Saner Reeder said. “You could wear gloves, a mask, change it daily and wash hands after doing it to keep off infection yourself if you are pregnant.”

She added that people are more likely to get infected through eating raw meat than from handling cat feces.

Other things to consider

Veterinarians agree that you should always keep an eye on pets and children.

“Never leave your baby unattended around your dog,” McLaughlin said.

Saner-Reeder warned that as the child grows into a toddler, he or she should be taught not to pull pets’ ears or tails, or jump on a pet.

“This could lead the animal to bite or scratch the child,” she said. “Teach the child to gently touch the animal, and make sure to always supervise.”

They also urged pet owners who are about to be parents to consult with a veterinarian about dogs or cats.

“The veterinarian has seen your dog or cat before, and they can probably tell you what to expect,” Saner-Reeder said.